So the idea of this blog is to talk about diving. I really would like to use this as a educational platform in the future and I would hope that other staff members would like to put in their two cents. One of things I find is that people miss a lot of what is tucked away on our web site.

Hey its Austin here! Its a new year and with it comes my experience as Rich Best's intern at STSC. Just so you know a little bit about me. I am a Recreation Management student at LHU and this internship is my final step before graduation. I am grateful that I get to do something I love for my last semester, and also get credits for it. It doesn't get much better than that! This blog is intended to keep you up to date on the latest happenings at the scuba center, in the industry, and also on my experience here at STSC.

Though it is the off season there is still a lot going on. I helped Rich instruct a cool cat named Jeff yesterday at the YMCA. He needed his certification before going to Costa Rica with the family this week and we made it happen with time to spare! Speaking of the Y, There will be a free try scuba event (RSVP only by Jan. 11th!) at the East Lycoming YMCA on January 12th which we are hoping to get a good turn out for. Everybody knows free is the best flavor so there is no better time than now. Also the entire years worth of events has been posted on the schedule page of the website so be sure to keep an eye out. Rich and I will continue to update the website, social media pages, and e-mails.

A interesting article by Dr Thomas Powell for the SDI - TDI - ERDI blog that I thought I would share.

We have all been somewhere intending to have a wonderful dive adventure, and been faced with an unexpected visit from “that guy.” In 2013 we began discussing “that guy” and how he can frustrate even the calmest of individuals. With any sport or hobby, there are certain unwritten rules of etiquette we should all consider. The objective behind partaking in a sport such as scuba diving is to have a good time. After all, we choose to dive; we do not need it to survive.

The diver who has to have everything on site

First, divers love toys. From the day we get certified as open water divers, there is always some trinket or item that at first seems to be the most sensible purchase ever made by any human being. After a while, we end up with a bag of items that never seem to be used. Despite this, the bag grows and things rarely get tossed because.....Read More

I recently made plans to take an open-water course with my fiancé, but I have asthma and am worried about whether it is safe for me to dive. I do a great job managing my condition in my daily life, but I know that scuba diving carries its own medical considerations. What should I know before I start diving? Can I dive with Asthma?

AsthmaYou’re not alone. A huge percentage of the questions we receive at DAN concern diving with asthma. As a chronic lung disease in which the breathing tubes (bronchi) narrow in response to various stimuli — including cold air, exercise and other atmospheric irritants common to divers — asthma understandably poses a risk for people wanting to breathe compressed gas underwater. The primary concern for asthmatic divers is suffering an asthma attack while diving.

Dangers to DiversAll divers experience reductions in breathing capacity due to the effects of immersion and higher gas density in the water. At 33 feet below the surface, for example, the maximum breathing capacity for a healthy diver is only 70 percent of what it is at the surface; at 100 feet, breathing capacity drops to approximately 50 percent. Read More

The most common dive injury, particularly in novice divers, is middle ear barotrauma and, as an instructor, it is important to be able to recognize an ear injury, identify a more serious injury and manage either effectively. As you know from your dive training, equalizing techniques enable the higher-pressure air from the throat to enter the middle ear and equalize pressure. Divers who don't sufficiently equalize, or that are congested, can injure themselves. If divers surface and describe a feeling of fullness in the ears or crackling sounds (as if there is water or fluid trapped in the ears) they may be experiencing a barotrauma. If this occurs, divers should discontinue diving and you should advise them to see a doctor. Divers should not resume diving until all symptoms are resolved. Injured divers should also be discouraged from further attempts to equalize as this can exacerbate the injury. If divers surface complaining of ear pain, facial pain, vertigo, nausea, hearing loss or ear ringing (tinnitus), this could indicate a severe case of barotrauma. The eardrum may be perforated, resulting in pain and possible infection. Divers should discontinue diving and seek immediate medical care. Advise divers against treating any dive-related ear injuries with eardrops, as they are alcohol based and designed to prevent an infection called otitis externa (swimmer’s ear). They will not successfully treat the injury and may cause unnecessary pain. For more information about ears and ear injuries, you can read the DAN Diving Medicine FAQs on ear equalizing or Stop the Drops! Ear Pain Management. You can also download the Divers Guide to Ears (291 Kb PDF) or take DAN’s online seminar Ears and Diving. If you have any questions, contact the DAN Medical Information Line at 1-919-684-2948.

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize” – Clairee Belcher

When it comes to dive equipment, your tank and regulator give you air, your mask helps you see, and your fins help you move. They are all essential pieces of equipment for diving. Scuba accessories are “nice-to-have” items but – depending on what diving you plan to do – can be just as important.

So, what are the key accessories every diver should have in their dive bag?

#1 Dive slates – Dive slates are underwater writing pads. You can write on them during your dive, and then rub it clean ready for the next dive. When hand signals aren’t enough, slates help divers communicate underwater. They are also handy for fish sightings notes and mapping, as well as for instructors to use as teaching reminders.

by Megan DennyLast September I went on a liveaboard dive trip and saw my first hammerhead shark, followed by a barracuda tornado. I also saw some classic examples of scuba diving bad habits – from experienced divers no less!

Liveaboards typically attract hardcore divers, and the boat I chose was no exception. On average, the people on board had 300+ dives, but a few of these old salts made mistakes that even a brand new diver would consider a rookie move.

Forgoing a buddy check takes a shortcut on safety and increases the chance of having to solve a problem in the water. You can learn more about avoiding and adapting to problems in the PADI Rescue Diver course, but the best thing to do (as we teach during the Rescue course) is prevent problems before they begin with BWRAF

Bad Habit #2 – Shooting fish buttsThere were some very expensive camera rigs on board, but an expensive setup doesn’t guarantee good photos. Especially when the photographer doesn’t know underwater photo basics, or Want to read more click here?

Tip #1 - When shooting pictures underwater, follow two important rules. Get close to your subject and shoot at upward angles. This will allow you to fill the frame and get separation of your subject from the background.

Tip #2 - Use a Color correcting filterA secret tip to get better looking photographs is to use underwater color correction filters on your camera, which are essentially red filters which can be screwed onto the front of your camera’s lens that corrects the color balance by reducing the cyans or Blues in your pictures. Choose a filter density according to the depth at which you will be photographing and the color of the water,

With summer just around the corner and diving season just getting started, many people haven't been doing as much during the winter as they should have been to keep themselves or their equipment in shape.

To get your equipment back in shape is easy. Just take it to your authorized dealer and have its yearly service done. No, equipment is not "OK" if it hasn't been used. As a matter of fact, diving equipment is better off used than left setting around. It's sort of like your body and if you haven't been working on keeping that in shape you know how hard it is to do the things you use to do. You really don't want to be in the water and out of shape with equipment that doesn't work.

To get yourself back in shape can be easy if you just dedicate a little time every other day. Yes we all want to look good but it does take time. Remember the old saying you have to crawl before you can walk. Speaking of walking this is a great way to start getting back into shape. Only about a half an hour a day will do and if you take someone from your family this is known as quality time. All gain, no pain. Walking is a low-impact, aerobic workout that burns the same number of calories as running the same distance-but with much less stress on the joints and muscles. Remember most of all, to do some stretching before you start and when you finish.

There is a point in a dive that many expert divers rate as the most challenging. It is at the very beginning. To be more precise, it is the first five minutes of the first dive of a dive trip.The degree of difficulty increases the longer it has been since a divers last dive, but it also decreases rapidly as the dive progresses.

If you are not a "grizzled" veteran or you haven't been diving in awhile, making a smooth transition to the underwater world will require deliberate preparation. A diver will most likely experience equipment problems early in the dive, so it is only sensible to take your time in the initial phase.

Here are some hints to help you avoid feeling stressed at the start of a dive:

On Saturday, July 19th, Sunken Treasure Scuba Center is offering a chance to experience the realm of Tec Diving. Do you know what Tec Diving is ? Have you ever tried it? Where is diving taking you in the future? How would you like to try SideMount, doubles, sling a stage bottle or two. How about trying to run a line reel or send a SMB to the surface. Have you ever used a lift bag? This is your chance to join the STSC staff and find out what it's all about. You'll need your basic gear and we'll provide the rest. We'll also be firing up the grill for some good food. Tec Day will start 10:30am at Jay Street in Lock Haven, PA.

Each year in the spring the Staff at Sunken Treasure Scuba Center trains students from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. In April, Kelsey & Alyssa where two students that completed their dives in the Susquehanna River at Jay Street in Lock Haven. Sometimes the conditions are not the best for them however then the fun starts! They study abroad on The Great Barrier Reef off of Australia. I don't know if I should feel sorry for them or not that the water is cold in April. NOT!!

Great post for all divers......When you head out into open water, you are embarking on a great adventure. Whether it is your 1st or 51st time diving from a boat, the fun doesn’t fade. But don’t let excitement get in the way of your manners – you are sharing the boat with other divers, and you don’t want to prevent them from enjoying their time in and above the water as well.Follow these five etiquette tips to ensure a great experience for both you and your fellow divers:

Sunken Treasure Scuba Center

Serving divers in the North Central Pennsylvania since 1978. Not just a job but our lifestyle. We are a PADI Green Star & Instructor Development Center.

Our staff is passionate about teaching scuba at a level that is fun, informative and safe. Our mission is to transform your adventure into a lifetime activity that will educate, inspire, and energize you unlike any other activity.

We want to expose people to the amazing diversity of marine life in both fresh and salt water while at the same time teaching divers about an environment that can benefit from their care - one dive at a time.